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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Marriage: Year One

Sandals Antigua

Day 1-7:

After the ceremony, we spent the night in a Jr. suite at the Ritz Carlton in Dearborn, MI. The wedding and brunch reception ended 4pm. We limo'd to the hotel to "relax" a bit and then went to his mom's house to open gifts. What a mistake that was because I was ready to pass out after I got there. I didn't realize how tired I was until it was too late. The next morning, we caught a flight to Antigua where we spent seven wonderful days at the Sandals Resort. We had an awesome time! One memorable moment amongst many was when we took a day trip to Monserrat. We took a catamarran to the island that was going way too fast. I expected to capsize at any moment. Prior to leaving for the island known for it's active volcano (I didn't know this at the time), we were approached by a tour guide who asked us to "deliver" something to another guide on the island. I don't think so. I'm not into the "trafficking" thing although I never asked what he wanted us to deliver.

Champagne Sunset cruise in Antigua

Day 8:

The first year of marriage was a get to know you period. My husband and I dated long distance for three years. He lived in NY where he was attending law school, and I lived in Michigan where I had lived since the mid '90s. We knew one another pretty well but had never lived in the same state to really get to know one another the way we should have.

We first lived in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn which was a great area to live in with the exception of circling the 'hood for parking...for up to an hour. The restaurants gave us every type of cuisine you could imagine. We lived in a rented brownstone where the rent was $1800/month for a two bedroom 2nd floor walk up...or was it a third floor walk up? Can't remember but it was a decent place but we had to return our new sofa after it wouldn't turn the corner in the hallway. The bedrooms were tiny but the living area was just enough. Our kitchen wasn't much of a kitchen at all but I wasn't much of a cook at all then either. It was actually called a galley kitchen. It was so small if you took one step back from the sink you were in the living room. He remembers me rarely using the kitchen and eating out alot. He might be right.

One of the first memorable events that happened in year one was the black out of August 2003. Thank God I wasn't one of those who got stuck in the subway or at work when the grid blew. I didn't have a job then, and I got caught up in watching Oprah when I should have been on the subway going somewhere. Thank God for Oprah! Boy, was that a hot night. We were one of the first neighborhoods to have our lights turned back on. It was a plus to have U.S. Chuck Schumer living blocks away.

Hubby was also entering into his 2nd year of practicing law at a pretty big firm in lower Manhattan. I remember being frustrated because I spent many nights going to bed alone. I also remember thinking that if I was going to be home alone I could have stayed in Michigan. It was hard being in a big city only to spend time alone. Alot. But those are the dues a young lawyer must pay to get to where he is today. It's a good thing that I have a strong sense of who I am and can always find something to pre-occupy myself and not go nuts when I'm alone. Boy has that changed...